Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-21
LABOR IN THE LEGISLATURE.

As yet nothing has occurred in the leg
islature to indicate the strength of the
labor element in the body. 1t is known
that OF the two houses slxty-two mem
hers are farmers, bur the question arises
whether these sixty two gentlemen are in
any sense the representatives, per Sc, of
do not happen 10 follow agriculture as al
ayocation. 1t Is to be doubted if the
sixty-two desire to figure distinctively as
the "labor wing" in the legislature. II
consulted they would no doubt reply that
their aspirations are to serve aIl classes
and avocati0ns with equal fidelity, and to
legislate for capital as well as labor. 1t
is certain that up to this time there Is no
evidence that labor, as represented by
Itself for any special contest with capital
in the shape of legislation designed to be
especially beneficial to labor interests.
We call attention to these facts on several
accounts, but chiefly because, whether
warranted or not, the impression has
somehow got abroad that labor, in ad-
vance of the November election, had
made up its mind to try conclusions to
some extent with capital, and that the
session of the Twentieth legisla-
| ture had been selected as an oppor-
tune season to inaugurate the movement.
/ There were many incidents and circum-
| stances during the canvass that gave
color to the theory; such. for example, as
the earnest interest manifested by mem
| bers of the Farmers Alliance snd the
Knights of Labor in the legislative con-
tests in so many counties; the "Dark-Lan-
tern" and the "Auti-MonOpoly" tickets
tnat were put in the field; and,to some ex-
tint, the vigorous canvass made by Mr..
Terrell as the special antagonist CT cor,
poratIons and monopolies. All these
circumstances, then, helped to give
Feasibility to the theory that labor mad
become thoroughly aroused and was pre-
pairing to assert its claims, in an agrees
i've spirit, 10 d larger degree Of recCg-
milton and influence as to law-making
than i rad enjoyed il the past. The
entente cordiale, too, maintained all dur-
ing the canvass between the Knights of
Labor and the Farmers Alliance was re-
garded as another highly significant cir
cumstence, pointing to an alliance Of
fensive and defensive between the
laborer in the country and his
brother in the towns-with the leg
islature as the objective point, where
the battle for reform legislation
should be Inaugurated. The presence of
sixty-two farmers in the legislature,
taken in connection with the facts above
recalled, may inspire some people with
apprehension that there is going to be
sone lively clashing when any question
that appears to affect capital on the one
hand or labor on the other comes up. 1t
is altogether probable that some nervous
citizens are dreading highly aggressive
labor policy simply because sixty-tWo
farmers have been returned to the legis-
lature. THE GAZETTE regards these
views as pessimistlc and decidedly unjust
to the agricultural interest, which has for
once succeeded in securing such a fair
ratio Misrepresentation in the law-making
branch Of the government. So far as has
been observed the farmerlegislators are
an Intelligent, conservative body of gen.
tlemen, who nave gone to Austin in god
faith, ambitious to do something for the
good OF the state, and not imbued with
Quixotic ideas about reforming, all at
once, and with vigorous hand, all the
evils of which ls5or complains. This is
THE GAzETTE's candid estimate, and it
will not be revised or modified
until circumstances call for re-
vision. THE GAZETTE regards
the presence of so many farmers in the
legislature as in every way appropriate
and desirable. A majority of the voters
of Texas are agriculturists, andit is their
duty as well as, their right to have sde-